Engine heating elements, which are also referred to as block heaters, are devices used to pre heat engines in relatively cold climates when not in operation. In general, the engine heating elements replace core plugs (e.g., welch plugs, freeze plugs, engine block expansion plugs, etc.) of an engine and include a resistive element that generates heat when energized with electrical power. These engine heating elements are particularly useful in cold weather climates to maintain a minimum temperature level, thus alleviating detrimental effects, such as freezing of engine coolant of the engine that can permanently damage the engines, or increased difficulty of starting of the engine following a relatively long period of not being used.